SLIGHTLY MARRIED
US, 1932, 62 minutes, Black-and-white.
Evalyn Knapp, Walter Byron, Marie Prevost, Jason Robards Sr, Robert Ellis, Dorothy Christy, Herbert Evans, Mary Foy.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.
Aka Strange Marriage. This is definitely a Pre-code comedy drama, more explicit about sexual matters, including prostitution and mistresses, than might have been found in such a film only a couple of years later.
Evalyn Knapp portrays a young woman out of work, desperate, trapped by an undercover policeman as she stood on a street corner. In court, she tells a story that she was waiting for a man who is coming to marry her. She is definitely not believed. However, suddenly a well-dressed man, with a hangover, declares that he was the man. The to leave the court – and, offscreen, are immediately married.
The film is about the relationship, the young woman, Mary Smith, having her principles, appreciative of Jimmy, Walter Byron, the man who saved her but wanting to keep some kind of independence. He, on the other hand, discovers the attraction and there is a very warm scenes between them, his going to a shop to buy food, the having a meal together. He comes from a wealthy family and proper marriage is planned for him. However, he contacts the Butler, who has known since child, who comes to his rescue.
The various complications with his dominating mother, his pretending to write a dramatic novel in Boston, his somewhat arrogant fiance. In the meantime, Mary is caught up in various misunderstandings about financial support from him, his mother and his lawyer lying to him about Mary’s wanting money. Also in the act is Jimmy’s best friend, Jack, Jason Robards senior, who takes a shine to Mary, takes out but does not want to marry her. Jimmy sees them together and is even further suspicious.
It is merely suggested that on one of his visits, there is a sexual experience – and, later, it appears that Mary is pregnant. She keeps this secret from Jimmy. In the meantime, she encounters a woman she met in the court, Nelly (Mari Provost) who moves in and helps her, especially with the pregnancy and the birth. She also takes a phone call from the lawyer and except $2000 in cash for the situation and a fund for the baby.
On the eve of his marrying his fiancee, Mary changes in her mind, takes the baby, the taxi pursuing the bridal car and Jimmy moving from one car to the other – and, later, a re-marriage ceremony.
